Powerswim - A New type of FIN!

[TheTrickster]

Just found this today:

The Powerswim Program is developing highly efficient, human-*powered swimming devices for use by combat and reconnaissance swimmers. This program explores a new concept in swimming propulsion that uses the same oscillating foil approach to swimming that is exhibited by many fish and aquatic birds. This propulsion approach is more than 85-percent efficient in conversion of human motions to forward propulsion. Typical recreational swim fins are no more than 10-percent efficient in their conversion of human exertion to propulsive power. This dramatic improvement in swimming efficiency will enable subsurface swimmers to move up to two-and-a-half times faster than is currently possible, thus improving swimmer performance, safety, and range.

Looks like ForceFins have a new rival!!!!!

More info here: http://www.acq.osd.mil/dpap/policy/attachments/fy-05-congressional-report20060130.pdf

FROM: http://www.darpa.gov/dso/thrusts/bio/biologically/powerswim/index.htm

 

[O2BBubbleFree]

I think I remember seeing another thread on this


Here's a Wired article with pix.

 

[RowingMunkeyCU]

very cool idea.

only problem is it looks to me a bit like comparing a Concorde jet to an F-15.

those 'fins' seem to be for speed and distance, but not maneuverability and all-around versatility.

 

[neil]

Here's a Wired article with pix.

From that article: "Apparently, combat swimmers can only go about 4.5 miles before fatigue sets in; "

ONLY???

 

[ClayJar]

NEW?!?​

If you look at RickI's "[thread=195362]Underwater Flight![/thread]" thread, you'll find discussion about something that looks quite a lot like this thing. If you follow the link from there to the off-SB post "Amazing Underwater Flight!", you'll see just about the very same thing.

In fact, continuing from there to Innerspace Corporation, you can see their page featuring scans of a very, very old flyer for the Aqueon. Apparently, it was in the "What's New" section of Popular Science in June of 1974.

I dare say that it is nothing "new". If I was negative two and a quarter years old when it was in a magazine, I believe it can be classified as "retro".

 

[kalidor's8]

looks like all kinds of tangle hazards to me

 

[Luis H]

NEW?!?​

If you look at RickI's "[thread=195362]Underwater Flight![/thread]" thread, you'll find discussion about something that looks quite a lot like this thing. If you follow the link from there to the off-SB post "Amazing Underwater Flight!", you'll see just about the very same thing.

In fact, continuing from there to Innerspace Corporation, you can see their page featuring scans of a very, very old flyer for the Aqueon. Apparently, it was in the "What's New" section of Popular Science in June of 1974.

I dare say that it is nothing "new". If I was negative two and a quarter years old when it was in a magazine, I believe it can be classified as "retro".

I was talking to Calvin Gongwer a couple of weeks ago about his invention, the Aqueon. It is very interesting device.

The real sad thing is that Calvin developed the Aqueon almost 40 years ago and has tried to sell it to the Navy and others without success. It seams that the Navy turns around and contract a company to develop the same device.

It seams like a very simple device, but when it comes to hydrodynamics sometimes subtleties can make a huge difference.

 

[ClayJar]

It seems like a very simple device, but when it comes to hydrodynamics sometimes subtleties can make a huge difference.

Indeed. If I ever find myself with copious amounts of free time, playing around with the concept is one of the things I'd love to do.

 

[TheTrickster]

I bet Calvin Gongwer is well and truely peeved off!

I never knew this existed! I feel for him.....

Looks a little different, but the theory I would of thought is the same...

I was talking to Calvin Gongwer a couple of weeks ago about his invention, the Aqueon. It is very interesting device.

The real sad thing is that Calvin developed the Aqueon almost 40 years ago and has tried to sell it to the Navy and others without success. It seams that the Navy turns around and contract a company to develop the same device.

It seams like a very simple device, but when it comes to hydrodynamics sometimes subtleties can make a huge difference.

 

[Doc]

Can you imagine the muscle groups required to live through using that? Yep- I remember the Popular Science article.